You must become completely crazy; then you will understand.

The Hag on civil liberties.

This old quote from Merle Haggard isn’t pretty, but I think it’s important:

“Look at the past 25 years — we went downhill, and if people don’t realize it, they don’t have their fucking eyes on. In 1960, when I came out of prison as an ex-convict, I had more freedom under parolee supervision than there’s available to an average citizen in America right now. I mean, there was nobody going to throw you down on the side of the road spread-eagled, and look up your butt for a fucking marijuana cigarette. God almighty, what have we done to each other?”

Haggard was speaking as a straight, white man, and if you’re gay or black you know that things are better in many respects than they were in 1960. In 2008, though, you don’t even have to belong to a minority to have your rights and dignity violated by your own government.